When soul left the food

Soul Cuisine, a new vegetarian restaurant in Andheri East, promises health and peace of mind but lacks the flavours to achieve zen-like contentment

Soul Cuisine Food: AverageService: WarmAmbiance: Regular

The news of healthy outposts is always welcome. After all, it’s not only waistline-watchers who are battling it hard but also those who shudder when news of pesticide-laden mangoes flood newsprint. Soul Cuisine, a no-frills establishment in Andheri East (for a change) caters to health freaks that like no hint of oil or processed food on their plates.

Super Detox and Simply Fruit were light

Part of the LifePositive Soul Space, the space is referred to as a “unique body, mind and spirit centre”. While we walked in, we walked past a product rack that displayed a host of organic products from jaggery, spices and flour to whatnot. The restaurant is unusually decorated with abstract paintings in soft hues and a wall filled with panels of potted plants that for some reason reminded us of being in a laboratory.

Spicy BBQ Pizza

Anticipating a sumptuous lunch, we ordered a Spicy BBQ Pizza (Rs 250), Grilled Spinach Sandwich (Rs 230) and a Mexican Thali (Rs 380). Simply Fruit Smoothie (Rs 200) and Super Detox (Rs 200) were our beverages. We were served Nachos with Salsa as a complimentary dish; the serving tasted well with the mint chutney that was slightly on the sweeter side and contained pomegranate, chopped onions, peppers and raw mangoes.

Nachos and Salsa can be a perfect snack, especially due to its nutritive value. Pics/ Kaushik Thanekar

First to arrive was the pizza with a wholegrain base. The emphasis was on the unprocessed cheese, which admittedly tasted yum. However, the base was doughy, toppings were rare and the barbeque sauce was dribbled leaving again a sweetish aftertaste.

Next to arrive was the Grilled Spinach Sandwich that had unctuous cheese oozing out and wait a minute, pressed spinach leaves between the breads. The leaves, unfortunately, did not have the taste spinach has when pureed and thus were pointless. The Simply Fruit Smoothie was a welcome quencher with its blend of papaya, banana, pineapple and sweet melon. We understand lactose sensitivity but a smoothie without milk did leave us out of our depth.

Super Detox, on the other hand, with ginger, apple, celery and cucumber was fresh and frothy. Last at the table was the Moroccan-Mexican Fusion Plate, which had tacos made from wholewheat served with red pepper hummus, guacamole, salsa and pico de gallo and pita bread. None created the piquant Mexican flavour of the peppers or the smooth Moroccan taste.

Indian and homemade in flavour, the most disappointing factor was how each dish failed to mark itself distinctly. A complimentary ginger cake was unpalatable from the moment the spoon sunk in. Our take: it’s best to whip up a healthy feast at home with organic ingredients.